Mobile entertainment platform Storiaverse is connecting writers and animators around the world to create content for what it claims is a unique “read-watch” format. Available on iOS and Android, Storiaverse combines animated video, audio and text into a narrative that “enhances the reading experience for digital native adults.” Created by Agnes Kozera and David Kierzkowski, co-founders of the Podcorn podcast sponsorship marketplace, Storiaverse caters to graphic novel fans interested in discovering original, short-form animated stories that range from 5-10 minutes in length. At launch there will be 25 original titles.

Genres include science fiction, fantasy, mystery, horror and comedy. While the idea is to cultivate original talent, the company has also entered into an agreement with HarperCollins Publishers “to adapt portions of several HarperCollins titles into the Storiaverse read-watch format by merging the worlds of literature and digital storytelling,” according to the company announcement.

The aim is to offer books “in a dynamic format” and bolster the Storiaverse content library with recognizable content, the company said.

Storiaverse’s read-watch format sees “users swipe up on a story to watch a series of animated clips, then tap on the screen to enter reading mode,” TechCrunch explains, noting “there’s also an option to skip the videos if they prefer reading all the chapters first and then going back to view the animation.”

“Storiaverse is launching at a time when consumers — especially digital natives like millennials and adult Gen Zs — are hungry for entertaining mobile content, with one-third of American adults using TikTok and webtoons engaging millions of fans in Asia,” Storiaverse says, citing #BookTok as something of an inspiration.

“Every story is meant to be a unique showcase of distinct voices and visual styles, steering clear of ‘cookie-cutter’ content,” Kozera tells Animation World Network, adding that “technological advancements in animation have leveled the playing field, enabling individual animators to produce content of a quality that was once the exclusive domain of major studios like Pixar, DreamWorks, and various gaming companies.”